"I want to ask you, commissioner, is that description in the governor's letter of what we've done, accurate?"

The statement was justified, Ehlingher said.

"The activities through state health department provides at a popluation level... really try to do the surveillance, the monitoring and improving all of the care that goes on. if we do not improve the care for children with pediatric cancer...yes, children will be hurt." Ehlingher said.

Hann pressed further.

"Let me ask you directly," Hann said. "The governor is saying that my actions will, not maybe, not possibly, but will severely harm 5,000 children and I'm just asking you to validate that statement, yes or no?"

Ehlinger did not answer yes or no. He said there was never an opportunity to explain the grant in question during an earlier meeting between the two.

"We went through two grants — one related to primary care providers, and one related to immunizations where we gave you the details," Ehlinger said. "At that point, you said we would not talk about any more grants, so we were not able to go through each of these grants."

Dayton said any delay in accepting the grants could jeopardize the funds, because the federal government could instead redirect them to another state. But administration officials said any delay is likely to be short.

The key question is how the escalating war of words between the governor and a powerful lawmaker will affect the health care system at a time when the state is under pressure to implement the federal health care law.